nbc's brian moore has the story. >> as senate leaders were behind closed doors mapping out an escape from the fiscal cliff. >> the economy is growing, but keeping it that way means that the folks you sent to washington have to do their jobs. >> if the nation goes over the fiscal cliff, each side says the other is to blame. >> we can still avoid going over the fiscal if the president and the democratic controlled senate with work with republicans to solve the problem and solve it now. >> all over the country right now uncertainty is in the air. >> it's not a matter of am i going to pay my light bill or not but a matter of if it's going to deplete by savings. >> it could cause us to have a drop off in sales. >> we are engaged in discussions, the majority leader and myself and the white house in the hopes that we can come forward as early as sunday and have a recommendation. >> whatever we come up with is going to be imperfect. some people are not going to like it, and some people will like it less, but that's where we are. >> majority leader harry reid says they are confident they can